The Behavioral and Cultural Methods (BCM) Core has been included as a shared resource to provide for focus, depth, and economies of scale in addressing critical and complex methodological issues related to assessments and interventions in diverse ethnic groups, particularly African American and Latino populations. In line with the proposed theme, the overall goal of this core will be to provide the Penn-Cheyney EXPORT Center (PCEC) collaborators with access to expertise needed to develop rigorous and culturally appropriate methodology related to diet, physical activity, and weight control practices in clinical and community based settings. Specific aims are: 1) to advance knowledge and use of measurements of diet, physical activity, and weight control in research or program evaluation in black and Latino populations; 2) to advance knowledge and use of intervention strategies to improve dietary intake, physical activity, and weight control in black and Latino populations; 3) to advance knowledge of how cultural factors potentially influence the conduct and intcrpretation of research on obesity-related health disparities in black and Latino populations; and 4) to enable the study of environmental variables related to eating, physical activity and weight control. The BCM will be led by Dr. Shiriki Kumanyika, with Dr. Melicia Whitt as co-director for physical activity. Activities in this core will include development, adaptation, and dissemination of assessment and intervention methods, consultations with investigators and community collaborators to identify needs and provide assistance, conduct of or participation in seminars and short-courses related to methodological issues, providing structured learning experiences for students interested in diet, physical activity, or cultural issues in obesity, and assisting with data analyses and preparation of grant proposals and manuscripts, in cooperation with other cores. Some direct assistance with data collection will be provided through the BCM.